Best Vegan Restaurants in Santa Ana, California: The Ultimate Guide

Southern California is a haven for plant-based cuisine and Santa Ana is no exception. After all, one of my favorite things to do in Santa Ana is sample the best vegan food throughout this city’s exceptional eateries. I’ve come up with a list of the best vegan restaurants in Santa Ana, California so you can try it for yourself.

Santa Ana has vegan dishes at a variety of restaurants that are sure to please all tastes. There’s vegan Mexican food, vegan fast food, and even a 100% vegan sandwich shop. I’ve narrowed down the top choices at entirely vegan and vegetarian restaurants, as well as plant-based finds that you might not discover otherwise.

Here are the top picks for vegan food in Santa Ana, including exactly what I ate when I dined at these restaurants. If you’re looking for more plant-based meals in Orange County, I’ve also written vegan guides to Buena Park and Huntington Beach.

Vegan Restaurants in Santa Ana: La Vegana Mexicana

La Vegana Mexicana is a 100% vegan restaurant and family owned small business, led by James Beard nominated chef, Loreta Ruiz and her two adult children. This vegan Mexican restaurant in Santa Ana is located inside the 4th Street Market, which you really can’t miss when you’re in downtown Santa Ana. There’s a great collection of eateries and cafes, plus it’s a brightly painted building.

At La Vegana Mexicana, Chef Loreta Ruiz reimagines traditional Mexican dishes through creating innovative plant-based versions. As many Mexican dishes are naturally vegan or close to being vegan, some of them don’t require many alterations. Chef Ruiz also adds her own interesting twists and comes up with new versions of authentic classics.

La Vegana Mexican was voted as having the best vegan tamales in LA and they’ve been featured by numerous prominent publications. There are 16 different tamales that are on rotation. It’s a must visit spot when looking for vegan restaurants in Santa Ana, California. I sampled one of their “quesatacos”, which is where quesadilla meets taco. It was really delicious and such a great idea. You’ll need to travel to Santa Ana to try it for yourself.

Vegan in Santa Ana: Nice Burger

Nice Burger (previously called Nice Guys) is a 100% vegan fast food restaurant in Santa Ana, as well as other locations in Orange County. You can’t miss their retro sign out front, and there’s even a drive thru here, too. This casual fast food establishment resembles a 50s diner on the inside with comfy booths. There’s also some vegan artwork featuring animals and some messaging about animals and the environment on a TV screen for good measure.

There are numerous vegan burgers, “chicken” burgers, a fish burger, non-dairy milkshakes, soft service ice cream, side dishes and even breakfast offerings. I was overwhelmed by the choice, though I was told that some of their faux chicken burgers are among the most popular. I decided to give one a try and I don’t regret this decision. The chicken burger was really crispy and I loved the chipotle sauce.

Their soda machine has many interesting flavors by Stubborn Soda, including the refreshing pineapple soda that I tried. If you’re seeking a more substantial beverage, try one of their dairy-free milkshakes (Moo Shakes). I only wish that I had a Nice Burger location closer to home so I could dine there more often!

Vegan Restaurants in Santa Ana: SubVegan

SubVegan is a 100% vegan sub shop with tons of tasty sandwiches piled high with vegan meat, cheese and veggies. There are plant-based versions of Italian subs, club sandwiches, turkey subs, corned beef and many more. SubVegan uses mock meats to make their subs, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a better vegan sub anywhere in the country.

I asked which ones were most popular and decided to try the “Light Warrior” on the staff’s recommendation (meatless turkey, provolone cheese, black olives, lettuce, pepperoncini, red onion, tomato, mayo and honey mustard). Not only were the toppings really delicious, but the bread itself was better than any other sub bread I’ve ever had.

The inside and seating of the restaurant reminds me of a Subway, though the food is higher quality and all plant-based. The staff are really friendly and helpful, plus I love their sign behind the counter, “have an enlightening day!”. I sat outdoors on the little patio, which was lovely. SubVegan was a great surprise and one of the best vegan restaurants in Santa Ana.

Veg-Friendly in Santa Ana: Den Cafe

Den Cafe is the OG vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant in Santa Ana. Established in 1994 as Orange County’s “original alternative cafe”, they’re a combination of a restaurant, cafe, and music venue. Stop by for a meal, a coffee, brunch on weekends, happy hour, or listen to live local and independent music in the evening. There’s always something happening at the Den Cafe.

The walls are covered with art from floor to ceiling, which makes total sense as the restaurant is situated inside downtown Santa Ana’s “Artist Village”. It’s really easy to order vegan dishes as they’re all marked as such (so are gluten-free ones). I tried the Vegan Berry Waffle, a fluffy Belgian waffle topped with strawberries, blueberries, coconut cream and maple syrup.

Some other vegan dishes include turmeric hummus & naan, Buffalo cauliflower wings, the saucy vegan chicken burrito, and several other vegetarian meals that could likely be recreated as vegan ones. Most coffee and iced coffee beverages can be made with oat milk or almond milk.

Santa Ana Plant-Based Eats: Wursthaus

Wursthaus is a vegan-friendly German beer hall serving up refreshing pints and sausages. Of course, there are vegan sausages here, too. This is a great place to meet your friends or make new ones as there are rows of shared wooden tables, much like a German beer garden. Wursthaus also has some booths as well.

There are vegan sausages and great beer on tap, and I love how there are multiple kinds of mustard at each table. Choose from four different vegan bratwurst: smoked apple & sage, Mexican chipotle, Italian and Frankfurter. Customize your sausage with a variety of toppings, like sauteed onions, sauerkraut and more. Stop by for lunch species, happy hour, or trivia nights on Wednesdays.

The Pizza Press

The Pizza Press is a chain of pizza restaurants throughout Orange County, California, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and North Carolina. The restaurant is inspired by the 1920s Americana newspaper where community papers were the foundation of local news and information.

The Pizza Press originated in 2012 and their main concept is elevating the “build your own pizza” concept, catering each pizza specifically to individual tastes. They encourage you to “publish” your own pizza or choose from one of their traditional pizzas named for various major American newspapers.

Naturally, you can build your own vegan pizza using vegan cheese, veggies, sauces and herbs. Unfortunately, there aren’t any plant-based meats on the menu, but I actually make my own pizzas simply with vegan cheese and veggies so I was quite content. I love that you can add a swirl of balsamic glaze on top, super delish!